Napkin-folding machine



April 1, 1925. 1,532,475

C. H. COQNS NAPKIN FOLDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 19, 1922 s sheets-sheet 1April 7, 1925. 1,532;47;5.

C. H. COONS NAPKIN FOLDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 19, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2April 7, 1925.

c. H. cooNs NAPKIN FOLDING monmm Filed Jan. 19, 1922 a Sheets-Shut s thefollowing to he a full, clean ?atented Apr. '2', 1925.

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application filed January 18, 1322. Serial No. 530,288.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that l, Gimmes H. goons, ofSaiigerties, in the county of andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inNapkin- Foldingll lachines; and I do hereby declare and e description ofthe invention, 4 will appertains to n he and use the same.

This invention relates to paper folding sum enable others skilled. in.the art to which it machines, and more particularly to such machines asare designed for "folding paper napkins. Paper napkins are nowerr-tensively used and there is large-demand for such articles readyfolded so that they may be placed in containers or arranged in neat ill. l upon a standard 2 is a folding hfo piles, and the requirements ofthe trade as to size are varied. In consequence the, manufacturer .iusteither state his inability to supply a size other than that which may beproduced by his machines or he must have a number of machines eachcapable of turning out a differentsize of fQl-ded napkins which means aslowing down of prodion unless he has orders which will keep each of hismachines going. It is the objectof my invention to provide an improv andsimple machine which may used I01 tolding different sizes of napkinsthus insur' ing against idleness of any ma r of lack of orders forarticles of the size forwhich the machine may be adapted and providingfor use of all machines to full working capacity with consequent speedof pro duct-ion. It is requirement in successfully operating napkinfolding machines where interfolding is not desired that each napkin tobe folded be out and moyed for delivery from themachine withoutinterference by the next .succeding napkin, and l have devised new andimproved mechanism whereby niatic view showing the draw rollers, Liecreasing rollers, and associated o o t es ."ippropriately supported b mtrollers 6,

n'e because roller 4:, likewise supported by the bracket, lying adjacentthe horn and forming. the lead thereto fora web of paper to be foldedand cut into napkin lengths, A second roller 5 arranged transversely ofthe roller 4 is positioned the small end of the hon and is the lead forthe web which has l -een folded lengthwise over the horn, a painofrollers 6 and Z forming the means for drawing the paper over the roller4, horn 3 and roller 5, it being understood that the web of paper isuppor ed the usual m ner at {the side of the machine. The two 7 aremounte on 1 11 5 r tically movable in a housing 9 superposed on thestandard 2, rails 10 at ea ehside of the housing forming the guidingmeans for the up and down movement of the frame 8.

the instrumentalityi of rods 12 secured thereto at opposite sides andeach havingits upper end screw threaded for engagement of a gear nut 13,connected with worm gears 14': on a rod 15 operated by a hand wheel '16one side of the housing.

Power is appropriately communicated to a shaft 22 on one end of which isa gear 23,

;'lhis frame is raised and lowered through the shafts beingappropriately blocked on the movable frame 8. Gear 23 is in. mesh withan idler 24': adjustably mounted on an arm 25 which is itself movableintovarious positions, swinging from its pivot which isthe shaft 26 uponwhich the roller 6 is mounted. This idler 2 meshes with gear 2? fast ontheshaft 26 and driyesthe roller 6, a gear 27- on the opposite end ofthe, shaft transmitting power to the gear 28 of the roller 7. The stubshaft 29 for the idler 2a is adjustable within a straightway slot 30, ofthe arm 25, and the position of the arm is regulated by a nutted bolt 31projecting from an upright ear 32 of the movable'frame 8, the boltextending through an arcual slot napkin lengths by these blades.

Two rollers, 40, 41, arranged in the same vertical plane and supportedby the standard 2, in complement, form creasing means for imparting thefinal transverse crease to the napkin which has been given an initiallengthwise fold as it passes over the born 3. The roller is driven bysprocket chain 40 from a sprocket on the shaft of roller 7, the chaintravelling over a take-up roller 40". These rollers40 and 41 are in gearand are driven at a speed about onc-third faster than the rotation oftherollers 6 and 7 so as to insure discharge of the napkin onto a layboyor other receiving means sufficiently in, advance of the next oncomingnapkin to prevent the latter overtaking the former. A folding blade 42carried by a reciprocating cross head 43 tucks the severed napkin intothe bite of the rollers 40, 41, this'blade being actuated by aneccentric rod 44, the crank 45 being fixed to a sprocket driven shaft46.

Endless bands or tapes are used for guiding the paper in its passagethrough the machine and such tapes are indicated at S, V,

W, X, Y, and Z. These tapes are arranged about guiding rollers in amanner well known in the art, tapes which are cooperating being sospaced across therollers as to not contact with complementary tapes. Thetape S extends from the roller 6 to a guiding drum 6', and tape V,complemen tary to the tape S, extends from the roller 7 to a guidingdrum 7. Tape W is guided in its flight by drum 47 which is journalledbetween said plates of the movable frame 8, the upper roller 40 of thecreasing means, a drum 48 supported by links 49, a drum 50 movable in aslideway 51 weight 51' acting to tension the tape), the lower roller 41of the creasing means, and a drum 52 supported by the standard 2. Tape Xwhich co-acts with tape W is guided by the lower roller 41, and drum 54.Tape Y extends between drums 55 and 56, the former being positivelydriven through gear connection with the shaft of roller 41. Acting incomplement to the tape Y is a tape Z, an upper drum 57 journaled betweenside plates of the movable frame 8, two lower drums 58., 59 and anintermediate movable drum 60 forming the guiding elements for the tapeZ, the drum 58 receiving motion from the drum 56, through a gear oneach. The drum 60 is journaled in blocks 61 which are slidable in ways62 of a bracket 63 secured to the standard 2, a weight 64 connected withthe blocks 61 tensioning the tape.

In the operation of my device for a given size of napkin, a web of crepepaper suitably supported at the side of the machine is fed over theroller 4 down onto the folding horn 3 from which it is drawn by therollers 6 and 7, being fed by these rollers between the complementarytapes S and V down to and past the bed knife 37, the advancing lengthbeing then gripped between the tape Z and the tape JV, and thenimmediately further on between the tape Z and the tape Y. The advancingedge is carried along by the tapes Z and Y, and immediately the rotatingknife co-acting with the bed knife severs the length, folding blade 42engages the now severed length and tucks it in between the creasingrollers 40 and 41, the I end thereof is being pulled against pressure 11exerted by the tapes Z and Y, consequently there must not be too great afriction exerted by these tapes but only sufficient to insure thecarrying of the advancing edge of a napkin down past the point ofentrance between the creasing rollers.

In adjusting the machine for thepurpose of producing a napkin of adifferent size it is first necessary to remove the gear 23 and tosubstitute therefor a larger or a smaller gear, the idler gear 24 beingthen adjusted on its arm 25 so as to compensate for the difference insize of the gear 23 rotation being communicated from the gear 28 to thegear 27 through this idler. It is also necessary to lengthen or shortenthe distance between the bed knife 37 and the plane of movement of thefolding blade 42, it being understood that the blade is intended tostrike the severed sheet about midway its length so as to give it thecorrect fold. Accordingly it is required that the frame 8 shall be movedup or down, carrying with it the drawing rollers 6 and 7, the bed knife3'? and its complementary knife 36 which is mounted on the shaft 22,with all related parts. This movement of the frame is accomplished byturning the hand wheel 16, the power thus communicated being transferredthrough the rod 15 and worm gears 14 thereon to the gear nuts 13 on eachof the rods 12 which are connected at the sides of the frame 8. As willbe apparent, in the movement of the frame and the parts carried therebyit is necessary that the sprocket chain which effects the drive of theshafts with which the eccentric rods 44 and 74 are connected shallalways be maintained taut. To insure this I provide a sliding block 81which may be adjusted on the frame 2, the block forming a bearing for anidler sprocket 83. The position of the parts in Figure 1 indicates thearrangement for folding the smallest size of napkin, the cutting bladesbeing in their lowermost p0- Tim for severing the folded paper, gu v forsuch severed sheet, means'for efiecting sition. The gear 23 having beenchanged and the idler 24 ad usted to the change in slze of such gear 28,to BfIGCt a difference in the speed at which the drawing rollers aredriven, turning of the hand wheel 16 to the right will effect aclockwise turning of the nut 13 and consequent lifting of the frame 8 tothe desired position. Before this lifting may be accomplished it isnecess to loosen the sliding block 81 to permit the chain 80 to risewith the frame and to loosen the take up roller 40 to permit adjustmentof the chain drive between rollers 7 and 40. The upward movement of theframe will also alter the position of the chain 40 and each of the tapesW and Z, the means permitting this change of these elements having beenheretofore described.

I claim as my invent on:

1. In a nap '1. fol k machine, means for initially folding web of paper,apair of drawing rollers, cooperating cutting means for severing thefolded paper, guiding means for such severed sheet, means fortransversely folding such sheet arranged in spaced relation to saidcutting means, and means for varying the distance between said cuttingmeans and said last named folding means.

2. In a napkin folding Lia-chine, means for initially folding a web ofpaper, a pair of drawing rollers, cooperating cutting means for severingthe folded paper, tapes for guiding such severed sheet, means fortransversely folding such sheet including a folding blade and a pair ofrollers arranged in spaced relation to said cutting m ans, and means forvarying the distance between 1d cutting means and said last namedfolding means.

3. In a napkin folding machine, means for initially folding a web ofpaper, a pair of drawing rollers. cooperating cutting means ling reed atransverse fold of such sheet and its toward delivery from the machineat a e greater than the speed at which such c 0 sheet is presented tothe transverse foldin means, the latter means being arranged ispacedrelation to said cutting means, and means for varying the distancebetween the transverse folding means and the cutting means.

l. In

folding machine, means for initially folding a web of paper, a pair ofdrawing rollers, cooperating cutting means including a fixed cuttingblade and a rotary blade for severing the folded paper, guid'ag meansfor such severedsheet, a reciproca folding blade and a pair of rollerscooperating to transversely fold such sheet and feed it toward deliverrom the machine v a speed greater than the speed at which such severedsheet is presented to the folding napkin blade and cooperating rollers,said blade and rollers being arranged in spacer rela ion to said cuttingmeans, and means for varying the distance between said blade and rollersand said cutting means.

5. In av napkin folding machine, ard, means for initially folding web ofpaper, a housing superposed on s-.. u. standard, a frame movable in saidhousing, pair of drawing rollers, a co-acting cutting means carried bysaid frame, means for transversely folding the initially folded sheet,said means being arranged in spaced relation to said cutting means, and1821 118 for nnwing vary the distance between said cutting means andsaid last named fold means.

6. In a napkin folding machine, a standard, means for initially foldinga web of aper, a housing superposed on said standa standard, a. framemovable in said housing, pair of drawing rollers, a co-acting cuttingmeans carried by said frame, means mounted said standard fortransversely fold.ng the initially folded sheet, such means being in J'4'. In a napkin folding machine, a standard, means for initiallyfolding a web of paper, a housing superposed on said standard, a framemovable in said housing, apair of drawing rollers, co-acting cuttingmeans carried by said frame, a folding blade mounted for reciprocalmovement in s id standard, a pair of rollers mounted in sale standardand adapted to cooperate with said blade to transversely fold such sheetand feed it toward delivery from the machine at a speed greater than thespeed at which such severed sheet is presented to the folding blade andcooperating rollers, such blade and rollers being in spaced relation tosaid cutting means, and means for moving said frame to vary the distancebetween said cutting means and said blade and rollers.

8. In a napkin folding machine, a standard, means for initially foldinga web of paper, a housing superposed on said standard, a frame movablein said housing, pair of drawing rollers mounted on said frame, a drivenmember carried by said frame, cutt-ing means in part carried by saiddriven member and in part mounted on for severing the folded paper inpredetermined lengths, gearing for transmitting power from said drivenmember to said rollers, means whereby said gearing may be changed tovary the speed of saic drawing rollers, means for transversely foldingsuch severed sheet, such means being in spaced relation to said cuttingmeans, and means frame the distance between s id cutting means and saidtransverse folding means,

9. In a napkin folding machine, standard, means for initial folding aweb of paper, a housing sun osed on said standard, a frame movable in.said housin pair of drawing rollers mounted on said frame, a drivenmember carried by said frame, cut

tin means in cart carried bv said driven rt mounted on said name or r,ermn' said frame to vary the distance becutting means and saidtranstween said verse folding means.

10. In a napkin folding machine, a stand ard, means for initiallyfolding a web of paper, a housing superposed on said standard, a framemovable said housing, a pair of drawing rollers mounted on said frame, adriven member carried by said frame, cutting means in pa rt carried bysaid driven member and in p rt mounted on said frame for severing thefolded paper in predetermined lengths, gearing for transmitting powerfrom said driven member to said rollers including a. gear wheel on saiddriven member, an adjustably mounted idler, and cooperating gear wheelson said rollers, said adjustably mounted idler permitting change of theratio of said gearing to vary the speed of said draw rollers, a foldingbla le mounted for reciprocal movement in said standard, a pair ofrollers mounted in said standard and adapted to cooperate with saidblade to transversely fold such sheet, said blade and said rollers beingin spaced relation to said cutting means, driving connections betweensaid driven member, said blade and said last named rollers whereby said.blaoe and rollers act to fold and to feed such sheet toward deliveryfrom the machine at a speed greater than the speed at which said sheetis fed to position for said transverse folding, and means for raisingand lowering said frame to vary the distance between said cutting meansand said blade and rollers.

11. In a napkin folding machine, a standard, means for initially foldinga web of paper, a housing superposed on said standard, a frame movablein said housing, a pair of drawing rollers mounted on said frame, adriven member carried by said frame, cutting means in part carried bysaid driven member and in part mounted on said frame for severing thefolded paper in predetermined lengths, gearing for transmit to g powerfrom said driven member to said rollers including a car wheel on saiddriven i'uember, an adjustably mounted idler, and cooperating gearwheels on said rollers, said adjustably mounted idler permittingchangeof the ratioof said gearing to vary the speed of said draw rollers, afolding blade mounted reciprocal movement in said standard, a pair ofrollers mounted in said standard d adapted to cooperate with said bladeto transversely fold such sheet, said blade and said rollers being inspaced relation to said cutting means, a plurality of guiding tapes forfeeding such sheet into position to be acted on by said folding bladecooperating rollers, means for raising and lowering said frame to varythe distance bet-ween said cutting means and said transverse foldingblade and rollers, and means permitting variation in length of theguiding portions of some of said guiding L rapes.

12. In a napkin foldlng machine, a

standard, means for initially folding a web of paper, housing superposedon said standard, a frame movable in said housing, a pair of drawingrollers mounted on said frame, an arm pivotally supported by the shaftofone of said rollers, said arm having an arcual slot and a straightwayslot, an up right car on said frame to which said arm is bolted throughsaid arcual slot, a driven member carried by said frame, cutting meansin part carried by said driven member and in part mounted on said framefor severing the folded paper in predetermined lengths, gearing fortransmitting power from said driven member to said rollers including agear wheel on said driven member, an idler on said arm and adjustablewithin the. straightway slot thereof, and cooperating gear wheels onsaidrollers, said adjustably mounted idler permitting change of said gearingto vary the speed of said draw rollers, means for transversely foldingsuch severed sheet, such means being in spaced relation to said guidingmeans, and means for raising and lowering said frame to vary thedistance between said cutting means and said transverse folding means.

13. In a napkin folding machine, a standard, means for initially foldinga web of paper, a housing superposed on said standard, a frame movablein said housing, and having upwardly extending screw threaded rods, apair of drawing rollers mounted on said frame, an arm pivotallysupported by the shaft of one of said rollers, said arm having an arcualslot and a straightway slot, an uprightear on said frame to which saidarm is bolted through said arcnal slot, a driven member carried by saidframe, cutting means in part carried by said driven n'ie-mher and inpart mounted on said fran'ie for severing the folded paper inpredetermined lengths. gearing for transmitting power fr .l drivenmember to said rollers including a gear wheel on said driven member, anidler on said arm and adiu ahle within the straightu'ay slot thereon andcooperating gear wheels on said rollers, said adjustahly mounted idlerpermitting change of said gearing to vary the speed of said dr..wrollers, means for transversely folding such severed sheet, such meansbeing in spaced relation to said guiding means. worm nuts engaging saidscrew threaded rods and manually operable worms for engaging said wormnuts to effect a raising and lowering of said frame to vary the distancebetween said cutting means and said transverse foldmeans, and means forraising and lowering said frame to vary the distance between saidcutting means and said transversefold.- ing means.

14. A. napkin folding machine including means for initially folding aweb of paper, a movable frame, drawing rollers for the folded. webcarried by said frame. cutting means for severing the folded papermounted in said frame, means for transversely folding the severed sheet,means for moving the frame to adjust the cutting means relative. to thelast mentioned folding means, and means for varying the speed of thedrawing rollers relative to the adjustment of said frame.

15. A napkin folding machine including means for initially folding a webof paper, a movable frame, drawing rollers for the folded web carried bysaid frame, rotatable cutting means mounted in the frame, driving meansfor the cutting means, a driving connection between the cutting meansand the drawing rollers. means for transversely fplding the severedsheet, means for moving the frame for adjusting the relation of thecutting means with the last mentioned folding means, and means forchanging the driving relation of the cutting means with the drawingrollers to vary the feed of the folded sheet with respect to the cuttingmeans.

16. A napkin folding-machine including means for initially folding a webof paper, a movable frame. drawing rollers for the folded web carried bysaid frame, rotatable cutting means mounted in the frame, driving meansfor the cutting means. a driving connection between the cutting meansand the drawing rollers adapted for adjustment to change the. relativespeed of the rollers and cutting means, means for transversely foldingthe severed sheet, means for moving the frame to adjust the relation. ofthe cuttin means "with the last mentioned folding l. V and an adjustabledriving (30131188 tion between a d cutting means and the last mentionedfold ig means for operating said folding me i N n folding machineincluding folding web ofpeper, drawing" rollers mounted therein for dingthe folder web through the machine, rotatable cutting means mounted onthe frame for severing the folded web, means for driving the cuttingmeans, driving connection bet-ween cutting means and the drawing rollersadapted for adjustment to vary the speed relation between the cuttingmeans and means foi a movable drawing rollers. a transverse foldingmeans for folding the severed sheet, reciprocating stacking means forreceiving and stacking the folded sheets, means for adjusting the.

frame relative to the last mentioned folding means, and adjustabledriving connection between the cutting means and the last mentionedfolding and stacking means for driving said members at a relativelyfixed speed.

18. In napkin folding machine, means for initially folding a web ofpaper, a pair of drawing rollers. cooperating cutting means for severingthe folded paper, guiding means for such severed sheet, means fortransversely folding such sheet, said cutting means being arranged inspaced superposed relation thereto, and means for varying the distancebetween said cutting means and said last named folding means.

19. In a napkin folding machine, means for initially folding a web ofpaper, a pair of drawing rollers, cooperating cutting means for severingthe folded paper, tapes for guiding such severed sheet, means fortransversely folding such. sheet including a folding blade and a pair ofrollers, said out ting means being arranged in spaced superposedrelation to said last named folding means, and means for varying thedistance between said cutting means and said last named folding means. 7

20. In napkin folding machine. means for initially folding weh of paper,a pair of drawing rollers, cooperating cutting means for severing thefolded paper into predetermined lengths, guiding means for such severedsheet, means for transversely folding such sheet arranged in spacedrelation to said cutting means, and means for varying the distancebetween said cutting means and said last named folding means whereby thelatter may be positioned midway and at other points between. the endsthe predetermined lengths, tapes for guiding means whereby to permitsaid folding blade such severed sheet, means for transversely to actupon severed sheets of varying lengths folding such severed sheetincluding a fold midway and at other points between its 10 ing blade anda pair of rollers arranged in ends.

spaced relation to said cutting means, and in testimony whereof I havesigned this means for varying the distance between said specification.

cutting means and said last named folding CHARLES H. COONS.

